Punishments reduced for deputies in fake chase

Penalties for two deputies involved in a fake pursuit through downtown Spokane last fall have been reduced.

Just days before the former head of the deputies union took the helm of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, administrators agreed to waive requirements that the deputies pay for damage to a Spokane Police Department patrol car that occurred when officers responded to the chase.

The final punishments were reduced earlier this month in negotiations between Undersheriff Larry Lindskog, who was serving as the interim sheriff after the retirement of Sheriff Mark Sterk, and Spokane County Deputy Sheriffs Association President David Skogen. Skogen had just become president because Ozzie Knezovich had taken a leave of absence as president to campaign for sheriff, a position he was appointed to on April 11.

“I am confident that these two officers will not be a problem,” Lindskog said. “I can assure you they have suffered a lot of embarrassment as a result of this, both for themselves and their families.”

Sterk already had agreed to reduce unpaid suspensions, Lindskog said. But the former sheriff fought to require them to pay for the damage to the Spokane police cruiser.

Lindskog said the timing of the outcome had nothing to do with Sterk’s departure. The decision came after county attorneys determined that union officials were correct that the deputies’ contract would not allow them to pay for the car, he said.

The chase happened in downtown Spokane in the early morning of Oct. 3 when Deputy Samson Palmer, in a marked patrol car, and Deputy David Ellis, driving an undercover Mustang in front of Palmer, were finishing their shifts and heading back to the Public Safety Building.

Palmer turned on his overhead lights and Ellis, figuring Palmer was goofing off, didn’t stop. Both drivers broke speed limits by 10 or 20 mph and ran a flashing red light, according to court documents. Spokane police Officer Aaron Ames saw the cars and reported that a deputy was in pursuit.

Other officers heard Ames’ call and laid a spike strip near the Post Street Bridge, stopping the Mustang. Meanwhile, a policeman responding to the scene forgot to put his car in park, and it rolled into a pole, causing more than $2,000 in damage.

Sterk originally ordered unpaid leaves for Palmer of 120 hours, 80 hours for Ellis, and 48 hours for Deputy Beau Vucinich, who was a passenger in the Mustang. He also ordered Ellis and Palmer to pay for damage to the police cruiser, the flattened Mustang tires and the police’s spike strip.

Ellis, who received a life-saving award from Sterk the same month as the chase incident, said his suspension was reduced to 30 hours.

“I’m just ready for this to be over,” he said.

Palmer’s suspension was reduced to 60 hours, Knezovich said. Palmer and Ellis were required to pay $183 to pay for the tires and spike strip.

Vucinich’s suspension was dropped last fall by Sterk. Instead, he received a letter of reprimand in his file.

Palmer and Ellis also received second-degree negligent driving tickets in February in connection with the chase and paid $325 fines.

Lindskog said the city has paid for the damage to its car.

“They have the option of filing a claim with Spokane County and have chosen not to do so,” Lindskog said.

Union leaders say they may not have fought damage costs to the car if deputies had hit it, as opposed to the officer not putting it in park. Deputies will pay to replace the spike strip and repair the Mustang’s tires.

“When we agreed to pay for the tires and the spike strip, we went outside the contract because we felt it was only right,” Knezovich said. “Whenever any of us does something stupid, we all wear it and the community loses trust.”